


Entangled

by Sailor_Pluto_Persephone



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Complicated Relationships, Drama, F/M, Forbidden Love, Game: Resident Evil 2 Remake (2019), Opposites Attract, Porn With Plot, Post-Resident Evil 2, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Power Dynamics, Pre-Resident Evil 4, Sexual Content, Smut, Star-crossed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:08:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25393618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sailor_Pluto_Persephone/pseuds/Sailor_Pluto_Persephone
Summary: "Ada, so it is true... You, working with Wesker." - Leon Kennedy reuniting with Ada Wong in Resident Evil 4.Entangled is an erotic "what-if" scenario following Leon Kennedy’s journey from Resident Evil 2 Rookie Cop to Resident Evil 4 Special Agent through a series of secret encounters with Ada Wong.
Relationships: Leon S. Kennedy/Ada Wong
Comments: 32
Kudos: 59





	1. Chapter 1

**1999**

Leon Kennedy had been in Washington D.C. for nearly a month. In that time, he had perfected his morning ritual. The hotel alarm clock was set for 4:30am and by 5:00 he would be at the National Mall for his morning run.

The military recruited him after the incident in Raccoon City five months prior. He was a member of the Anti-Umbrella Pursuit and Investigation Team. It was a new task force with the mission to stop the creation and distribution of bio organic weapons.

He was being transferred to the STRATCOM base for intensive training the next week. In the meantime, he liked to stay active. The four-mile lap around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool kept him limber. The freezing February air tearing through his lungs helped his mental concentration. He had to be ready to endure anything.

There was a coffee shop between the mall and the hotel he would walk to as part of his cool down. Pick up coffee and breakfast. Head back to the hotel for a shower. Then drive to the office in time for the 9am briefing.

The usual barista was behind the counter when he walked in. Her name was Kelly. She had a pretty face and he liked the way her long, blonde hair looked pulled back in a tight ponytail. They would chat each morning as she made his coffee.

She was a student at the local college who liked to work the early shift before her classes started. He suspected she wouldn’t say no if he asked her out. Sometimes the way she lingered before handing him his order made him think she expected it. It was a tempting thought, but he couldn’t risk losing his favorite breakfast spot if things went sour. Maybe on his last night in town he’d see how things played out for him.

“You’re early this morning,” she said with a wide smile, leaning over the counter.

He took off his cap and shook his hair loose. “Made good time on my run.”

“Were you in a hurry to visit me?”

“Something like that,” he said, distracted by the phone in his pocket vibrating.

That was odd. The mobile phone was government issued when he signed on with the task force. No one had actually ever used it to contact him.

“Can I get the usual?” Leon flipped open the phone. He could only imagine what kind of mess he was walking into at the office that morning.

Two texts from a number he didn’t recognize. He opened the first message.

“Meet me tonight. Come alone. – Ada”

Leon’s stomach dropped. What kind of sick joke is this, he thought as he read the second message. A time and an address.

He felt lightheaded. All the events from Raccoon City flashed through his mind as he grabbed onto the counter to sturdy himself.

Leon remembered the last time he saw Ada Wong. He had held onto her from the collapsed bridge at the NEST laboratory. He lost his grip and watched her fall. And then she was gone, lost to the endless darkness beneath him. It was a scene that frequented his nightmares, but he tried to avoid thinking about it during the day.

He steadied his shaking hands so that he could get a good look at the phone. Leon hated texting. He scoured the keys trying to find the number that corresponded with the letter he wanted to type. After what felt like a frustrating eternity of pressing buttons, he was able to craft a response.

“How do I know it’s really you?”

The phone vibrated again. This time it was an error message that the number was disconnected.

“Fuck,” he said under his breath and forced the phone back in his pocket.

He looked up and saw a mortified Kelly holding his coffee and to-go bag in her hands. He attempted to flash a convincing smile and pulled out his expense card.

On the way back to the hotel, Leon gripped his paper cup to the point he thought it might burst and cover him in hot coffee.

Was this a trap? Should he tell someone? Go in with backup? Not go at all?

But who could he tell? Leon had never mentioned Ada in any of his retellings of Racoon City. The fact that he was tricked by a career criminal into handing over an apocalyptic virus was not something he wanted to advertise.

And what if Ada somehow survived? The thought ripped through his chest like a bullet. He’d always regret if he missed the chance to see her again.

That realization made his decision for him.

The message said 9pm. The concierge at his hotel identified the address as an upscale cigar bar downtown. He arranged for a cab to pick him up that evening so that his car couldn’t be traced.

Leon didn’t tell anyone on the task force where he was going, but he was prepared if things got ugly. Dressed in his best navy suit, he walked into the bar with his handgun tucked in the waistband.

“Mr. Kennedy,” the hostess said when she saw him. “Right this way.”

Before Leon could ask how she knew his name, she had disappeared into the cloud of smoke that billowed from the bar. He followed behind as she led him up a flight of stairs to a secluded interior balcony overlooking the main floor.

Leon stopped short, unable to believe what was right in front of him.

There she was seated at the table. Ada Wong. Alive and even wearing a red dress, albeit this one was more formal than the one she wore in Raccoon City. The first thing he noticed was the scooped neckline that gave a hint of what was underneath. Even from what little he could see from the other side of the table, he could tell the thin satin material hugged her in all the right places.

“Have a seat,” Ada's voice broke his trance. 

He stuttered what was supposed to sound like “okay” and sat across from her. The hostess poured him some of the wine on the table and excused herself.

“Long time no see,” Ada said.

It was like the floodgates had been opened. He remembered taking a bullet for her. Escaping to the cable car. When she kissed him. How he knew she couldn’t shoot him. What he felt when he thought he lost her.

“It’s so good to see you.” He reached for her hand across the table. “What happened to you that night? Where have you been?”

She pulled away from him and set both her hands in her lap. Her head turned to the first floor as if she was looking for something. He started to apologize, but she changed the subject. “What do you think of the bar?”

Leon straightened up, taken aback. He didn’t expect her to act so cold. “Well, they knew my name at the door.” He tried to lighten the mood with a joke. "Between that and your message this morning, I feel like I’m in a James Bond movie.”

She turned her attention back to him. “It comes with the territory. I thought you’d be used to it now that you’re a STRATCOM agent.”

That took him by surprise. He stared at her, trying to get any read on her blank expression. “How did you know about that?”

“I have my ways. I also heard you’re going to Nebraska. How terribly depressing.”

He was starting to feel a bit lost as to what they were doing here. “It’s not too bad, I guess. I’m going to be stationed there for special forces training.”

“That does sound impressive” She raised her wine glass to her lips. “But only if you leave out the part about Nebraska.”

Ada smiled for just a moment. If Leon blinked, he would have missed it. It made him feel better to see her smile. Maybe he was overthinking things. He eased back in his chair and took a sip of the wine.

“You’re probably wondering why I asked you here tonight,” she said.

If she were genuinely asking, Leon would have said that he was just happy to see her again. But there was an inflection in her voice that made him think he should keep his mouth shut.

“I told my employer about what you accomplished in Raccoon City with so little training," she continued. "You have massive potential, which is why I am sure the U.S. Government was so interested in you. it would be a shame for that potential to go to waste because you’re working for the wrong side.”

Leon’s face grew hot. The wrong side? How could she say that to him? Especially after everything they had been through. After everything he had seen and endured in Raccoon City. Whoever her employer was, he wanted the G Virus so that he could profit off that senseless carnage.

He gritted his teeth. “What are you trying to say exactly?”

“There is a private jet waiting at Dulles International Airport. We can be in the air on the way to headquarters within the hour.”

He stood up. “I’m not going to sit here and listen to this. I thought there was some good in you, but I was wrong.”

Ada appeared bored as she grabbed her clutch and pulled out an envelope. “Do me a favor before you storm off, Leon. My employer drafted a number for your offer. I think you’ll change your mind once you see it.”

“There is no amount of money that could-“

“Take it and go,” she said, cutting him off. Her voice was low and severe. “Don’t read it until you’re down the street.”

In that moment, there was a glimpse of the Ada he remembered. 

And then it was gone. She was smiling again, but this time it was tight and inauthentic. She held out the envelope. “You were saying?”

Leon hesitated. When they were at NEST, he trusted her to the point he wasn’t afraid when she pointed a loaded gun at him. Maybe he was making a stupid mistake, but he decided to trust her one more time.

“I’ll take a look,” he said before taking the envelope and leaving.

The hostess called him a cab while he waited in the lobby. It felt like the envelope stashed in his jacket may burn through his shirt and scald his chest.

Once in the car, Leon asked the driver to take him back to his hotel. Per Ada’s instructions, he didn’t read the contents of the envelope until the bar was behind them.

There was a note folded inside, but there wasn’t an exorbitant dollar amount written on it.

Instead it was a message that read: “Go straight there. We won’t be watched.”

A key card was tucked inside with the name of a hotel and a room number.

“Change of plans,” he said to the cab driver.

This hotel was much nicer than Leon's. His suit helped him blend in with the typical clientele as he walked through the ornate lobby and into the elevator.

With his hand hovering over the handgun in his waistband, Leon watched as the elevator buttons lit up with each passing floor. The elevator dinged and opened to an empty hallway. He followed the path until he reached the room that matched his key.

Leon took a deep breath before unlocking the door. As soon as he had sat down with Ada, he thought she was acting odd. He should have known she was in some sort of trouble. Why else would she have even contacted him in the first place?

Whatever it was, he was ready for it.

He threw open the door and pulled his gun out at the ready. The room filled with light as he stepped inside and triggered the motion sensor. It was a large one-bedroom suite. Kitchenette and dining area to his immediate left, a sitting room with a couch and television as he stepped farther inside. Through another door was the bedroom and bathroom. No one was in the suite or even appeared to have checked in. Not a single piece of luggage or any personal items to be found.

“In too deep to call for backup,” he said to himself as he sat on the couch. The spot gave him a direct line of sight to anyone coming down the entry hall. “If I die it’s my own damn fault.”

Almost an hour had passed when Leon heard the click of the door unlocking. He was on his feet with the gun’s sight aimed down the hall.

Ada smirked when she saw him. “You’re rather jumpy.” She turned her back to him and rummaged around the mini bar in the kitchenette. “Stand down, soldier.”

Leon lowered his weapon. “Who is after you? Are they here?”

“Oh, Leon, you haven’t changed a bit,” she said with a laugh and a shake of her head. She faced him and tossed a miniature bottle in his direction. “Here. It’ll take the edge off.”

He caught the bottle and inspected it. Whiskey. Leon didn’t open the bottle but he holstered his gun. “You made it sound like you were being watched.”

“There were certain individuals who were nervous that I left you alive in Raccoon City. Not that I blame them, I am very thorough when it comes to taking care of witnesses. I wasn’t lying when I said you have great potential. My employer agreed you are an excellent prospect. I am sure some people wanted to make sure I held up my end of the bargain and offered you the job.” She grabbed her own small bottle and walked over to him.

Leon could now fully appreciate the way the fabric of her dress clung to her. He could see the swing of her hips with each step she took.

“Cheers,” she said and clinked her bottle against his. She knocked back her drink and raised her eyebrow at him, waiting for him to do the same. She continued once he gulped down the whiskey. “I knew you were going to turn down the offer.”

Leon coughed to clear his burning throat. “Then why even ask? Why tell them about me at all?”

“I’m used to being closely monitored. If someone happens to find out we’re spending time together, then it looks like I am working tirelessly to recruit you. The best place to hide something is right under people’s noses.”

She took the empty bottle from his hand. Her fingers grazed his skin. It felt so good to feel her that he had to hold his breath.

Leon tried to maintain his composure, but it was hard when she was so close to him. “And what are you hiding?”

Ada smiled. “I wasn’t lying at NEST when I said I wanted to see you again.” She walked back to the kitchenette, throwing out the bottles and pulling a mobile phone from her purse. “But we’re going to have to be careful. This is a secure line. We can use it to keep in touch. If you can keep a secret, that is.”

Leon stared at Ada, beautiful and real and right in front of him. She was telling him there was a way he could talk to her, to see her. But she was also asking him to look past her line of work. To keep their involvement with each other hidden from the government.

He turned his head so he wouldn’t have to look at her. “I can’t do it.”

Leon could hear Ada set the phone on the counter.

“You don’t want to see me?” she asked.

Of course he wanted to see her. It’s all he had wanted for months.

But that didn’t matter, so he held his ground. “It’s not right.”

The tapping of her high heels on the floor echoed in the room. Each step was louder than the last and then they stopped. He felt her hand on his chin and she turned his head to face her.

“You know what else isn’t right," she said, her breath hot on his skin, “is you coming here tonight, but here we are.”

He averted his eyes, looking at the ground.

“I have a piece of advice for you, Leon.” She let go of his face. One of her long nails traced down his throat and landed on his tie. “Here’s what you should do with all those questions you have that we both know I’m not going to answer. With that little voice in your head telling you to walk out the door right now and never look back.”

The voice she mentioned wasn’t little at all. It was screaming for him to run. But Ada was touching him and he couldn’t think straight. All he wanted was to just melt into her.

He swallowed, daring to look her in the eye. “What?”

“Just don’t think about it.” She gripped his tie and pulled him toward her.

He had been prepared to relinquish all responsibility for what happened next, but Ada stopped short before their lips touched. She was making him choose.

She looked up at him with big, dark eyes waiting for him to make a move. Leon couldn’t take it anymore. He grabbed her face is both of his hands and kissed her.

Leon was so intoxicated by her that he didn’t argue when Ada took control. Her hands were on his shoulders pushing him backward. He stepped back, never breaking his hold on her. When his legs hit the couch, he took the hint to sit down.

Her hand grabbed the back of his head, pulling him in harder as her tongue intertwined with his. He was consumed by his need to be close to her. So much so that he was irritated when she sat beside him on the couch instead of on top of him.

His agitation subsided when her free hand touched his pants. She tossed his gun aside, unclasped his belt, and lowered her zipper with expertise. He was grateful for the precision, but didn’t want to think about how she developed it.

Her hand found his cock and pulled it out of his pants, the contact making him gasp.

Ada spoke into his mouth as his breath quickened. “I never properly thanked you for taking that bullet for me.”

Leon was ravenous for her, pulling her face back to his.

He was already hard but then Ada began to pump him with her hand. It felt too good as soon as she started. He hadn’t been with anyone in months and the way she touched him was more than he could handle. He was about to say something, feeling his climax build, but then she tightened her hold on the back of his head. The burst of pain as she grabbed a handful of his hair sent him over the edge.

With a groan, he broke away from Ada’s kiss. She kept gliding her hand up and down the length of him throughout his orgasm. He was so focused on the pleasure he didn’t realize that he had spilled himself all over his shirt and pants.

“Look at this mess you’ve made,” she said as she let him go.

It was humiliating. How could he have managed to fuck this up? While Leon's thoughts spiraled, Ada stood up. He was too embarrassed to even apologize. Ashamed, he covered his face in his hands.

"If I remember correctly, we were keeping score," she said from above him, "and I did save you from that tyrant." 

Leon peaked through his fingers to see her standing in front of him in a black bra and panty set. Her dress was crimson ripples pooling on the floor. She kicked the dress aside, leaving on her black heels. 

He was in awe of her. Strong, sexy, confident. All he could do was stare, burning all of her curves and muscles into his mind. 

"I believe some gratitude is in order." She kicked her foot up and it landed on the couch beside him, the stiletto of her shoe pinning a bit of the fabric from his pants to the cushion. 

She didn't have to ask twice. Leon forgot about his shame and gave her all of his attention. He kissed her knee that was propped by his head and sat forward, trailing his lips up her thigh. He got lost in her. So soft and warm. 

His hands travelled to her ass. Absolutely perfect, he thought to himself and he squeezed her supple skin. 

Ada straddled him on the couch and got up on her knees. He glanced up at the display, obsessed with the way her body looked from above him.

Moving the small length of fabric covering her pussy to the side with his hand, he traced his tongue along her folds. Her wetness coated his tongue. The thought that he could have that effect on her spurred him on. He was eager to impress, wrapping his mouth around her clit. 

He heard a small hissing sound. It was Ada inhaling a sharp breath. Leon felt his cock twitch as he witnessed her pleasure. 

Her fingers wrapped around his hand that was keeping her panties to one side. She moved them to her opening and guided two of his fingers inside of her. 

Leon had always been an attentive student. Even graduating at the top of his class at the police academy. He loved a good lesson and she was vocal about what she wanted.

Harder. Faster. Almost. More. There. That's it. Keep Going.

He followed each instruction with care, feeding on her approval. Worshipping every sound she made as she grinded herself into his face.

His cock was hard again. It was painful how much he wanted her to come. How much he needed to satisfy her. 

Then she tightened around his fingers. Her breath turned rigid and he felt her convulse around him. He watched her as she threw her head back in the throws of her climax. He kept his pace until she pushed away. 

Leon smiled as Ada tried to regain her composure. While she caught her breath, he grabbed his tie.

She moved his hand before he could loosen the knot.

"Not yet," Ada said as she lowered herself onto him.

His eyes rolled back as he felt her around him. Her wetness urged him to fill her completely.

"You're so handsome dressed up." She started slow, bouncing on his cock. "I like looking at you." 

Leon couldn't form words to reply. She felt so good that he was afraid it would end too soon.

He wanted to kiss her, to pull off her bra and see her tits, to fuck her as hard as he could. But it took all of his concentration to hold out for her. He shut his eyes, trying to prolong his orgasm.

"I like watching you," Ada said, speeding up.

Leon wanted to watch her. Wanted to see all of her as she fucked him. But he could feel the pressure building.

He focused on the heat radiating off of her. He was still wearing his full suit and was so hot. He felt each bead of sweat rolling off of him. Thought about how uncomfortable he was. Anything to last a little longer. 

"You're doing so well." Her voice cracked with a moan as she said it.

Her approval almost pushed him over the edge. He bit his lip, trying to concentrate on anything but the wonderful feeling of her sliding up and down his cock.

Leon bit down harder, drawing blood. Ada moved faster, disregarding any rhythm she may have had. She pulled his face to meet hers. The taste of her lips was mixed with her juices and his blood.

"Ada." He was begging her.

She tightened around him. "Come. Now," she said between gasps.

He allowed himself to give in. To feel all of her enveloping him. To see her lost in the pleasure he provided. Her pussy contracted around him, and he lost all control. She continued to fuck him through it, letting his cum fill her. 

She collapsed on top of him and buried her face in his neck. He held onto her waist, wanting to stay inside her for as long as she’d let him.

“You really know how to thank someone,” Leon said.

“That was for the bullet. But you also took care of my leg.” Ada kissed him along his jaw until she reached his ear. Her breath was hot against his skin. “And I’m so grateful.”

He couldn’t deny the fire her touch left behind, but it was hard to keep his eyes open. He was usually in bed hours ago, and she had already made him come twice. “You want to go again?”

“What’s wrong? Had enough, Rookie?” She pulled herself off him and walked around the corner to the bedroom.

Leon took a moment to catch his breath. But then he heard the shower start running and he was on his feet. He walked in the bedroom and saw the trail she left him on the floor leading to the bathroom.

High heels. Bra. Panties.

He rushed to take off his clothes and join her, afraid that he’d never have enough of her.

The next morning, Leon woke to the sun shining on his face. He rolled on his side to escape the light.

“Good morning,” he said with a yawn.

Draping his arm over her side of the bed, Leon expected to grab hold of Ada's waist and pull her closer.

When his hand landed on the plush mattress, he opened his eyes to an empty room. Sitting up, he called her name.

Silence.

He was up on his feet, walking around the suite looking for her. At first, there was no sign that she had even been in the room the night before. Then he found the cell phone she left him on the kitchenette counter.

Leon grabbed the phone and flipped it open. There was an unread text message.

“Check-out is at 11. See you around.”

He carried the phone with him back to the bedroom. The digital alarm clock on the nightstand read 10am. So much for his morning routine.

“You could have at least set a courtesy alarm for me," he texted.

The phone pinged.

Leon couldn’t help but smile when he saw that Ada replied.


	2. Chapter 2

**2000**

Leon heard footsteps behind him. They started quiet. Distant. But as they grew louder, he recognized a pattern to the steps. There was a rhythm to the stride. 

Hold your ground, he thought. Wait until the perfect opening.

The opportunity came when the attacker was right behind him. Where there should have been the next beat in the melody, there was silence. The person was about to strike.

Leon crouched while turning. A blade sliced through the air above him where he had just been standing. He grabbed hold of the assailant, one hand at the elbow and the other under the armpit. Keeping the arm tucked so that the knife faced away from him, Leon threw the man over his shoulder and to the ground.

Before the man could get up, Leon had him pinned to the floor with his knee. He squeezed the wrist holding the weapon and watched as the man’s hand clenched and then released.

The knife dropped to the ground. Before Leon could make his next move, he felt something jab his abdomen.

He looked down to see his own knife had been pulled from his belt and stabbed into his stomach.

But there was no blood. Just the disappointment of another failed drill.

“Dead again, Buddy.” Agent Sanchez twisted the rubber blade poking Leon.

“You had the window to attack and you went for the disarm,” Sergeant Jackson shouted from the sidelines. “I need better follow through from you, Kennedy.”

“Yes, Sir,” Leon said. He knew what he needed to do. Just go for the kill, he thought. But it wasn’t that simple.

“We gonna stay here all night, Kennedy?” Agent Sanchez said from beneath him, still pinned to the ground.

“Sorry.” He stood up and held out his hand to help Sanchez on his feet.

Sergeant Jackson approached and ordered Leon’s sparring partner off the mat. Sanchez gave them some privacy, grabbing a drink of water on the bench.

“You’re one of the best shots I’ve seen, but in close quarters that firearm isn’t going to do you any favors.” The instructor dropped his voice. “It’s life or death out there. That doesn’t change when you’re in hand-to-hand combat.”

“Understood, Sir.” Leon wiped the sweat from his brow.

The Sergeant patted him on the shoulder. “We’ll get you there. Don’t give up.”

“I won’t, Sir.” 

“That’s what I like to hear.” He pushed Leon toward the starting mark. “Run it again.”

After another hour of drills, they called it for the evening. Leon declined Sanchez’s offer to grab dinner at the mess hall, preferring to return to the barracks and sulk over a cup of instant noodles. 

He would graduate from the 18-month special forces training program in September. Leon had excelled in nearly all areas of instruction. His marksmanship was without compare. He had also made tremendous progress reaching his goals for first aid response and tactical training. But despite his best efforts, he was having trouble mastering the hand-to-hand combat.

The first thing Leon did once he was back in his room was pull off his physical training uniform. He inspected the fresh bruises across his body. Frustrated and tense after another day of getting his ass kicked, Leon walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. The hot water washed away the dirt from the day but didn’t help to ease his mind.

It was clear what the Sergeant wanted from Leon. And yet he couldn’t deliver. He had taken down countless infected in Raccoon City, but he had never killed a normal person. Fighting other humans wasn’t something he considered when he joined the task force.

It wouldn’t just be B.O.Ws out there, they had told him. He knew what that meant. There would be other forces against them. People like Ada.

The idea had haunted him for months. Before he reunited with Ada last year, he had a reoccurring nightmare of when she fell in Raccoon City. Recently, the dream had been replaced with a new horror.

The nightmare always started the same. Running drills with Sanchez and Jackson. There was the sound of steps behind him. He waited for the right moment before he turned and slashed with his knife.

Then the room would change.

He was back at NEST. His rubber training blade had transformed into a combat knife. The steel tore through flesh, splattering blood across the metallic floor. He looked up. Instead of cutting through a blue training shirt, it was a red dress.

Leon shook his head, willing the thought away. He pushed his hair out of his face and tilted his head back, letting the shower head’s steady stream rain over his chest.

It’s not real, he had to remind himself, just a bad dream.

After cleaning up, Leon threw his towel over his shoulders and stepped back into the bedroom. Now that he was thinking about Ada, he couldn’t help but check to see if she had reached out to him. The phone she gave him was tucked under his mattress.

He turned on the phone but didn’t expect to see anything from her. He hadn’t heard from her in over two weeks. While she was by no means chatty over text, they would typically exchange messages at least once a week. He couldn’t help but feel a bit worried by the recent radio silence. 

They had been meeting in secret on and off for a little less than a year. Their rendezvous were mostly physical. She didn’t want to talk about her work. Or her past. Or about much of anything really. It seemed so shallow, and yet he didn’t grow tired of it.

He couldn’t deny that he liked the way she made him feel. She was a mystery he yearned to solve, even when the clues were far between.

Sometimes it felt like she was right within his reach. Other times like he was just playing into her hand. After all, she had no trouble convincing him to fetch her the virus in Raccoon City. Was it any different now? What was she after this time?

These were the questions Leon wouldn’t ask himself too often. He knew if he sat and genuinely weighed the risks and rewards of their arrangement, he would call the whole thing off. And there was still a small part of him that believed she would switch sides and come work for STRATCOM. Or maybe that was just something he told himself to justify the whole thing.

The screen came to life with a notification for a new message. Ada sent him a text fifteen minutes ago. It read: “Come now. Preferably with something to eat.” She had also sent along the name of a motel and a highway exit number.

He read the text again. She had never dropped into town unannounced like this. Yes, she was always discreet, but he usually had some notice of an impending visit.

She had come to Nebraska a handful of times to see him. While Omaha may not be the most luxurious city in the country, there was a historic hotel downtown that she liked. They’d meet in the restaurant where they’d have dinner and share a bottle of wine before retiring to the room.

Why did she want to meet in a shitty motel outside the city lines? What the hell was going on?

Leon dialed her number. Straight to voicemail.

He swore under his breath before hurrying to get dressed. 

Forty-five minutes later, he was getting off the highway exit she had texted to him. There was pizza and beer sitting on his passenger’s seat, fulfilling the second part of her request. The motel wasn’t difficult to find. He just followed the exit until he saw the neon “Vacancy” sign illuminating the empty road.

He stepped out of the car with dinner in hand and his gun holster clipped to his belt. He walked along the building until he found the shabby door with the correct room number.

After he knocked, Ada was quick to throw open the door. She was dressed in a red Huskers college sweatshirt and black athletic shorts. There was a large “N” for University of Nebraska sewn into one of the legs.

He stepped inside, trying to fight the smirk that was overtaking his concerned expression. “I like the new look,” Leon said.

“Very funny.” She rolled her eyes. “What did you bring?”

“Omaha’s finest,” he said, holding up the six-pack and pizza box.

“I’ll take anything at this point.” She closed the door behind him and sat at the small round table across from the foot of the bed. 

The room was small and crammed with cheap furniture. But the coast looked clear, so he dropped his holster on the splintering wooden dresser.

Her first move was to pull one of the beer cans from its plastic pack ring.

“Drinking beer and dressing like a college girl,” he said as he sat across from her. “I knew this place would grow on you.”

That made her laugh. “Don’t get your hopes up. I needed something clean to wear. My clothes are ruined.”

He didn’t like the sound of that. “What happened?”

“Rough job.” She popped open the pizza box and grabbed a slice. “Let’s leave it at that.”

She had been on assignment. No wonder he hadn’t heard from her lately. It was normal for her to refuse to talk about work, but why was she visiting him right after a mission? 

And what did a ‘rough job’ entail? Just the thought of it was enough for his body to act as if he was back in the middle of Raccoon City. The symptoms came on quick. Increasing heart rate. Dry mouth. Images of decaying bodies filling his mind.

Unable to think straight, he opened his mouth and let the words fall out. “I would have brought you clothes if I knew you needed them.”

Her lips turned into that sly smile that always accompanied her teasing him. “Why? Do you want to give me your letterman jacket and ask me to go steady?”

Leon fought against the panic attack taking hold of him. He faked a smile and played along. “No jacket. Never played football.”

“Of course not. You were too busy studying.”

“And what about you?” He observed the way she looked up at him, as if she were surprised by the question. “How did you spend your school days?”

Ada was always quick to turn down those types of queries. She’d have a witty retort or find a clever way of changing the subject. But now, she looked thoughtful. As if she was struggling with whether to answer him.

“Ballet,” she said. “I was good, too. Studied in Russia for a bit. I wanted to be a prima ballerina.”

Focusing on her helped him to calm down. He hung on her every word and hoped she’d keep talking. “I’m surprised. That’s rather dainty, isn’t it?”

Her eyes sparked with passion. “There’s nothing dainty about it. You have to be strong. In control. Disciplined.”

“Now that sounds more like you,” Leon said. This time his smile was genuine as he settled back in his chair. “Why did you leave it behind?”

“The same reason you joined STRATCOM. Once you see things clearly, you can’t stand hanging around the Blind.”

Her answer caught him off guard. He had never thought of it that way. Maybe that was why he preferred her company to anyone else. Leon didn’t have to pretend with her. They both knew what horrors people were capable of.

But that wasn’t why he signed on with STRATCOM.

“I joined to help people,” he said. “To make sure what we saw in Raccoon City never happens again.”

“Spoken like a true boy scout.” She took a long drink of her beer and gestured to the pizza. “You expect me to finish all of this by myself?” 

He gave himself permission to relax and enjoy their dinner. He only saw Ada every few months. Each time they met she always had questions about his training. Leon didn’t like to talk about his failures. He purposefully did not mention any of his struggles with hand-to-hand combat. Instead, he kept his updates vague and positive. She accepted his answers at face value, not in any position to pry when she was the one who kept so many secrets.

Ada abandoned the pizza after eating several slices. She looked relaxed as she lounged in her chair with a second beer. Since her defenses seemed down, Leon decided to push his luck.

According to her, she just showed up in Nebraska on a whim with ruined clothes and no luggage. He wanted to know the whole story. 

He kept his tone conversational. “Shouldn’t you be reporting back to someone instead of visiting me?”

“That’s pretty bold to assume I came just to see you,” she said. When he didn’t look convinced, she shrugged. “They’re not expecting me to report back for a couple days. Job didn’t exactly go as planned.”

“What happened?”

“Careful,” she said.

Leon knew it was a warning to stop while he was ahead. But then it clicked.

Things didn’t go as planned. And now she’s here. Was this it? Was she finally going to leave the life of crime behind her? Ask him for a job?

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Don’t give me that look. I don’t want to join your little club.” Then she sighed, as if she was too exhausted to curtail his upcoming line of questioning. “It was a straight-forward job, but someone tipped off the target. Let’s just say that things escalated.”

“What do you mean by ‘escalated’?”

“I got caught in a shootout. Made it out with only a graze, but it’s not pretty. Should heal fine enough in a couple days, but I’ll need to lay low in the meantime.” She pulled down the collar of her sweatshirt to reveal some of the bandaging on her left shoulder. “In my line of work, everyone keeps score. They see a wound like this, it impacts what jobs I get in the future.”

“Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing,” he said, more to himself. When she narrowed her eyes, he tried to explain. “You also got hurt in Raccoon City. To the point where you could barely walk.”

She waved her hand, dismissing his concern. “I don’t want to hear it. You’re the one that got shot and passed out.”

“From a bullet that was meant for you. It doesn’t sound like you have a great track record.”

She leaned back in her chair and bit the inside of her lip as if to stop a smile. He had gotten used to that look. It meant she was sizing him up. She didn’t like to be challenged, and she made sure he knew it. 

Before she used her sharp tongue to say something unkind, he motioned for her to come closer. “I want to take a look at your shoulder.”

“Leon, it’s fine.”

“Come on.” He smiled. “Give me the chance to impress you with my first aid skills.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Once I take this stupid shirt off, I’m not putting it back on.”

“I’m willing to accept those terms.” Leon grabbed her chair and pulled her toward him.

Ada shed the Huskers sweatshirt. She bore herself to him with no shame. Even looked a little bored as he leaned in and focused his attention on her shoulder.

He couldn’t tell how she had treated the bullet wound underneath the bandaging. The wrappings around the thick layers of gauze were applied with expert precision.

“You’re good at this,” Leon said when he could not find a hint of blood soaking through the dressing. “I guess you have to be with how much you get injured.”

“Aren’t you critical today?” Ada said. 

There was a hint of humor to her voice, but he didn’t find any of it funny. His eyes were glued to her wounded shoulder. “I just don’t like seeing you hurt.” 

She used her right hand to sweep away the blonde hair that was in his face. “I’ll help take your mind off it.”

Leon let her pull his face away from his examination. Their kisses started gentle. He wanted to be mindful of her injury. Wanted to take things slow. To savor each moment, not knowing when he’d have her again.

Then he felt her lips part, inviting him in, and his instinct took over. He couldn’t stop his tongue from intertwining with hers. Couldn’t help but grab hold of her ass and pull her onto his lap.

Ada held onto him with her good arm to maintain her balance. Leon realized she was at a disadvantage. She was usually the one in control. Always setting the pace, putting him right where she wanted him.

But now she was at his mercy. She followed the rhythm he set as he guided her over his erection. Her breath hitched at the friction he brought. It excited him, wanting to see how far she’d let him go. What he could do to her.

Leon dipped his head to kiss her bare breasts. She moaned and arched her back at the contact while his tongue played with one of her nipples before he wrapped his lips around it. She bucked against him, spurring him on. He picked up the pace, getting off on her approval.

She attempted to lift her arm but dropped it back down. Leon knew she was used to leading, to getting what she needed by taking it. Whatever she was trying to do, it was too difficult with her injury.

“Tell me what you want, Ada.” He spoke against her chest, hearing his voice come out breathy and uneven.

“Take your clothes off.”

Leon knew she wanted to demand it. But he grazed her nipple with his teeth when she started speaking, turning her order into a whine.

He was pushing his luck by toying with her and, surely, he’d pay for it later. His attention shifted to her other breast as he tried to hide a smile. He decided to tease her one more time before letting her off the hook. “Ask me nicely.”

Leon was prepared for her to tell him to fuck off. To feign disinterest as a way to gain an advantage over him. Not that he would take it personally. He suspected she wanted to take command of the situation, but it would be worse for him if he just handed it over to her. 

She didn’t stop him. Didn’t get angry. Instead, she grinded against him, pressing her breasts against his face. "Please."

Ada Wong was unraveling in front of him. Wanting him. Begging for him.

Leon was done playing games. He needed her now.

He carried her to the bed and laid her down with care, careful of her shoulder.

She was a beauty sprawled out in front of him. Flushed and breathless, she watched him as he pulled off his clothes.

When he crawled into the bed to join her, she tried to push herself up on her elbows. She winced and shifted her weight to her good side.

“You don’t always have to do everything yourself,” Leon told her as he pulled the pillows behind her so that she could sit up with ease. “Let me help you.”

She gave in, letting him assist her so that she was comfortable on her back.

Leon then helped to pull her shorts down, looking up at her to see if she was in pain. “Is this okay?”

Ada threw her head back and groaned in frustration. “Can you stop treating me like I’m completely helpless? If I promise to never get shot again will you stop being so annoying?”

“Yes, thank you. I’m glad I could help with your self-preservation.” He flashed a triumphant smile as he prodded her wet pussy with his fingers.

She gasped at the sudden contact. “Stop talking and fuck me.”

He was happy to oblige. Ada usually liked to be on top, but now it was his turn to look at her from above. To watch her face contort with pleasure as he entered her.

Teasing her had been fun, but he couldn't deny how much he wanted her. How much her wanting him had turned him on. Leon couldn't hold back anymore. She felt too good around him. His thrusts were fast and irregular. His fingers dug into Ada's thighs as he held on to them for support. 

She grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him in closer to her. Their mouths crashed together as he continued to pump into her. Her hand traveled down, her fingernails scratching down his back. The pain from the sharp tips cutting into his skin mixed with the pleasure of her pussy clenched around him.

It wouldn't be much longer. He felt the pressure building and taking over. One of his hands moved to her clit, urging her to finish with him. 

"Come." He was the one begging now. "Please, come. I need you to come." 

"Not yet." She buried her face into his neck, muffling the sweet sounds she made that they both knew would make him climax faster.

"Ada, please. Please." He didn't feel in control of his own voice, saying whatever came to his mind. 

It didn't matter if he was on top. In the end, she was the one in control. The sight of him completely powerless to her pleasure seemed to be what Ada needed to find her own climax. She held on to him, piercing his back with her nails as she came around his cock. Leon let himself go then, spilling inside of her before pulling out and falling to her side. 

Sometimes in the moments right after sex, when they were still wrapped in each other and she was looking at him, his head filled with all the things he wanted to tell her. About how he felt about her. What he wanted from the future.

But he knew better than to put those thoughts in words. Instead, he’d hold her face and kiss her until the wave of sentiment subsided. He did this now, pressing his lips to hers with raw passion, feeling her pull him closer as if accepting the unspoken message. When he was sure there was no risk of him saying something he’d regret, he pulled away and regained his composure.

“I’m going to go clean up.” Leon jumped to his feet and started walking toward the bathroom. “Do you want a towel?”

“If there are any left.”

He heard her say this before he opened the bathroom door and thought it odd. That changed when he stepped inside the small, tiled room.

Blood.

On the sink. In the shower. Soaked into the towels. Stained across her old clothes.

Too much for all of it to belong to Ada.

He stumbled, grabbing the wall for support. He thought it would trigger his visions of Raccoon City, but his reaction was different. This wasn’t infected, black blood that smelled like decay. It was human. There was another part of him that was sickened by this. It brought on its own brand of panic that forced him out of the room.

Ada sat up when she saw him. “What’s wrong?”

“The blood,” he managed to say.

The worry drained from her face and was replaced with amusement. “Don’t worry, I’ll bleach it before I leave.” Her lips turned up into a sly smile, “Unless you feel like doing an injured girl a favor? You did say I should let you help me.”

He felt too sick to play along. “You said there was a shootout. You killed them, didn’t you?”

She frowned. “Oh, Leon. I collect information, not heads. But sometimes casualties are unavoidable.”

He sat at the foot of the bed, his head in his hands. He felt Ada’s weight shift as she moved across the cheap mattress.

Would that be him one day? Taking lives and calling it unavoidable? 

“I haven’t been honest with you about my program,” he said by the time she was sat next to him. “It’s the hand-to-hand combat. I know what I am supposed to do, but then I have these flashbacks to Raccoon City. I just freeze. I worry if I had gone through this training first that I would have killed you back there."

“And maybe that would have been the right thing to do. Leon, the only reason you walked away that night is because I let you live. You can’t give other people that kind of power over you.”

He couldn’t help but raise his voice. “So, you think I should have killed you?”

She didn’t seem perturbed. “I’m glad you didn’t. But, objectively speaking, I suppose you should have.”

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You can’t just say ‘objectively speaking’. There’s no black and white when you’re dealing with people’s lives.”

She shrugged. “I mean we’re talking about ‘the bad guys’, remember?”

“People like you.”

“And people who are not like me. By the time you can tell the difference it will be too late.” Her voice turned stern, but then she softened and rested her hand on his knee. “You can’t save the world if you’re dead, Boy Scout.”

He was resolute. “If someone is worth saving, I am going to find a way to do it. I just need to work harder.”

Ada paused. “You have a good heart. It’s what I like the most about you, but it also terrifies me.”

Leon resisted the sudden urge to push her away, but still stood his ground. “I can take care of myself.”

“Of course, you can.” The way she said it didn’t sound convincing. Before he could keep arguing, she lifted her arm and started running her fingers through his hair. “I hate seeing you upset. Can I help you relax?”

He forgot what he was about to say. It felt so much better to give in. “Yes, please.”

She sat up, using her good arm to push him flat on his back. Her kisses started at his neck. He couldn’t suppress the groan that escaped him as she worked her way down. She left a trail of heat from his collarbone to his hip.

There was still that fear of how his future would unfold once he was in the field. But he allowed himself to push the nagging thought to the back of his mind and focus on the pleasure from her lips wrapped around him. He knew the anxiety would be back to take hold of him again. At least for now Leon could get lost in this sweet escape he had found in Ada Wong.


	3. Chapter 3

**2001**

It should have been a perfect night.

It was the first time in nearly six months that their schedules had allowed them to meet. Now that he had finished training and was fully entrenched in the task force, it seemed that Leon was always just missing Ada. Going forward, these moments between them would be few and far between. He should have been completely present, enjoying the time they had together.

But his mind wasn’t with her. It was in Peru, reliving each second of his most recent mission. He had been playing the events in his head on a continuous loop for weeks.

Leon and Ada were sitting on the floor of the den in his Virginia home. The sound of the crackling fireplace harmonized with the rustling of autumn leaves outside. 

Ada leaned against the couch for support while her feet were propped in Leon’s lap. Her cheeks were flushed from the bottle of wine they had shared. Her dress had shifted upwards, allowing the light from the fire to highlight the pale shade of her thighs. A relaxed sigh escaped her lips as he massaged her feet. 

It was a beautiful sight, Leon thought. He had half a mind to take her right there. It would have been easy to lean forward and grab hold of her waist. She would laugh as he pulled her flat onto her back. Her arms would wrap around him as he crawled on top of her. 

Instead, he moved her legs away from his lap and stood. “How about another drink?”

Leon was already halfway across the room before she could respond.

Once he was alone in the kitchen, he tried to find comfort in the sprawling land outside the window over the sink. Leon had started renting this house when he had finished his special forces training. Living out in the backwoods of Virginia meant he had a hell of a commute to the city, but it was worth it for the peace of mind.

Ever since Raccoon City, he had lived out of military bases and hotels. The congested cities and crowded buildings had always made him anxious. There were too many civilians. Too many people he couldn’t save.

People like his task force partner, Manny Hernandez. The thought was a claw that ripped through his chest and threatened to bleed him dry.

He hurried to uncork a fresh merlot.

Just need enough to make it go away, he thought as he drank straight from the bottle. Just enough so that I can be myself again.

“Leon?” Ada called from the other room.

He pulled the bottle from his lips. “Be right there,” he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. 

Leon steadied himself before walking back into the den. He found Ada sitting up, fully alert.

He acted as if he didn’t notice her concern while he filled his glass to the brim. The wine sloshed against the edge. He took a sip to prevent it from spilling over before he set the glass on the table. 

“How much?” Leon asked, leaning over her with the bottle to top off her glass.

“No more for me.” Ada reached up and caressed his face before he could step away. “Are you alright?”

“Never been better,” he said with his best smile.

She held him in place while she looked at him. Leon tried not to avert his gaze as her eyes bore into him. After a moment, her hand drifted to the back of his head. She pulled him close and brushed her lips against his.

It was an invitation to set the bottle aside and grab hold of her. To forget everything that was tearing him apart and to focus on her. 

He had everything he wanted right in front of him. He just had to take it.

But he didn’t deserve it, he thought as he pulled away. It should be him lying in that hospital bed right now, relying on tubes and monitors to keep him alive. Not Hernandez.

Leon settled back in front of the fire. He pretended he couldn’t feel her eyes on him as he drank.

She leaned back against the couch, creating the illusion that she wasn’t bothered. But Leon knew her. She wasn’t going to drop this.

“Have you gone back out in the field lately?” Ada asked as if she was making casual conversation.

Was he that easy to read?

He could tell her the truth. Talk about how he and Manny Hernandez had been sent for some simple recon surrounding a rumored BOW lab in Peru. They had arrived to find the researchers were packing up the operation, potentially preparing to leave the country. Hernandez got a hold of headquarters and was told to standby until reinforcements arrived. Neither him nor Leon were willing to accept that. With each moment they chose to follow orders, evidence was surely being destroyed or moved out of the lab. They made the decision together to black out their comms and infiltrate the base.

They found the researchers preparing to transport a batch of BOWs that had most likely been sold to a bioterrorism organization. When confronted and backed into a corner, a scientist managed to release one of the Tyrants. Leon was able to neutralize the threat, but not before Hernandez was injured. Leon stayed with Hernandez until the reinforcements arrived. The staff and BOWs were long gone, but the lab was still intact and could be scrubbed for evidence.

Hernandez managed to survive the encounter but was still in critical condition. He was being kept in a forward operating base in South America. Leon stayed for as long as he could, but he was eventually forced to return to D.C. alone. His superior had chewed him out, threatening to pursue terminating his military contract. Adam Benford, the man who recruited Leon to STRATCOM, had managed to smooth over the situation. Benford convinced the commanding officer that the newly formed task force was fragile and could be shut down if it was perceived as a failed experiment. It was in everyone’s best interest to avoid a scandalous discharge hearing. In the end, Leon was let off with a warning under the condition that he be paired with more experienced SOCOM soldiers until he could prove himself.

Since then, Leon had been living in a perpetual state of shame. There was a part of him that wanted to open up to somebody and let it off his chest. But deep down he felt he didn’t deserve reprieve from the overwhelming guilt. There were even times when he questioned if he was in over his head with this whole thing. Maybe him surviving Racoon City had been a fluke. He wondered when his luck would run out, and he worried how many people would be hurt along the way.

He couldn’t bring himself to say any of this. When he turned back to Ada, Leon spoke into his wine between sips. “I thought we didn’t talk about work.”

Ada wasn’t willing to accept that answer. “I don’t. You do.”

Leon forced a smile. Tried to make light of it. “Not anymore. It’s classified. If you want to know, you can come work for the task force.”

She laughed at the idea. “Well, that’s not going to happen.”

It had been easy to brush off comments like this in the beginning. Now that they had been seeing each other for nearly three years, he couldn’t deny that it bothered him. And in this exact moment, with his head buzzing from the alcohol and his mind haunted by Peru, it pissed him off.

He couldn’t resist rolling his eyes. “Why do you say it like you would never consider it?”

“Because I would never consider it,” Ada said, turning it into a joke.

Leon didn’t find it funny. “You’re telling me that you like what you do now? Helping these terrorists level entire fucking cities and ruin people’s lives?” 

She looked stunned. Leon wondered if he had taken it too far, but he was too upset to care.

There was a pause as Ada appeared to collect her thoughts. Then, she grabbed the bottle of wine and stood up. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. For starters, have you even considered the enemies I’d be making if I turned informant?”

He wanted to tell her that he’d protect her, but he wasn’t sure if he could protect anybody anymore. Leon decided to say, “the government can protect you.”

“I’ll protect myself.” Ada started walking out of the room. "By continuing to do what I’ve always done.”

Leon was on his feet now. He must have stood too quickly, because he could feel the wine catching up with him. “I’m serious, Ada.” He followed her down the hall and into the kitchen, the words pouring out of him before he knew what he was saying. “I want you to quit.”

She started looking around the room. “Just because you want something doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.”

“I want you with me.”

“I’m with you right now,” she said, finding the cork for the merlot and picking it up.

She wasn’t listening, he thought as he reached for her. He turned her to face him, both of his hands on her shoulders holding her in place. “I mean it,” he said as they looked at each other. “I want you with me.”

He had avoided saying it for years, no matter how much it ate him up inside. But there it was, finally out in the open.

She frowned. Ada didn’t say anything, choosing instead to pull away. She returned to the original task at hand and resealed the wine bottle. She put it in the refrigerator before walking past Leon.

“What are you doing?” he asked as he followed her back in the den.

She picked up his wine glass and walked back into the kitchen. 

“Ada, wait.” Leon felt like he was chasing her all over the house. When he stepped back into the room, he found her pouring his wine down the sink. “Seriously?” 

She turned to face him, leaning her back against the counter and crossing her arms. “If you want to talk about it, we’ll talk about it. But you better be somewhat coherent, because I am only doing this once.”

He managed to stand up straight, trying to appear sober. “Fine. Go ahead.”

“Do you fuck other women?”

Leon was not sure what he was expecting, but it sure as hell wasn’t this. “How could you even ask me that?”

“Do you?”

“Of course not. Why would I?”

She didn’t flinch. “Why wouldn’t you?”

The truth was that he was waiting for her. Waiting for the moment when he would breakthrough to her and she would care about him as much as he cared about her. But the truth was the last thing she wanted to hear. He broke eye contact and kept his mouth shut.

“I think you should start. It would be good for you,” Ada said flippantly. 

Leon could hardly believe what he was hearing. “How could that possibly be good for me?”

“Because I’m not your girlfriend.” She raised her voice in a way he had never heard from her. She uncrossed her arms, flexing her fingers in frustration. “I am never going to be with you. I am never going to join STRATCOM. I have always been honest with you about this. It is not my fault if you refuse to believe me.” 

“What would you rather I do? Just pretend that you don’t exist aside from a couple times of year when, what, you show up for a night and we have sex? What’s the fucking point?”

She didn’t answer him right away. They both stood there, the silence a stark contrast after they were just shouting.

Ada shrugged her shoulders, her voice quiet. “There isn’t a point.”

Maybe there really wasn’t one, he thought. Maybe their entire relationship was an unhealthy mess. But now that he was face-to-face with making the choice of either ending it or enduring it, he knew he couldn’t let her go. In a sick way, maybe it was alright to allow himself this. Because he deserved the torture that accompanied it.

He lowered his voice to match hers. “I take it back, alright? All of it. Just forget it. I don’t even know why I said it.” He held out his hand to her. “Come here.”

She hesitated. “Leon…”

“Please?” He kept his arm extended but didn’t move closer. He had made up his mind but he would give her the chance to make her own decision.

Ada took a deep breath and then nodded. Leon couldn’t deny the relief that washed over him as she stepped forward.

When she was in front of him, he leaned forward and gently held both sides of her face. It felt good to kiss her. It felt even better when she melted into him. He didn’t try to deepen the kiss or to touch her anywhere else. He was content to hold her like this. He just wanted to feel like she was his, even if it was only when they were physically together.

These tender moments between them were rare. Ada did not usually give in, seeming to prefer sex over anything emotional. She indulged for a little while before her hand travelled to his waist band. She slid her fingers inside his pants and grabbed him. When she found him soft, she stroked the length of him a few times.

It could have been the alcohol. Or their argument. Or Peru. Probably all of the above. But he knew he wasn’t getting hard tonight.

She pulled away and pressed a long, chaste kiss against his jaw. “Let’s get you to sleep, Boy Scout.”

Ada took him by the hand and led him to the bedroom. He didn’t think he was that intoxicated, but he wasn’t going to argue if she wanted to nurture him. She helped him take off his clothes and get into bed. When she laid next to him, she draped one of his arms over her waist and pulled him close so that his chest was pressed against her back. Despite everything, it was always easier to fall asleep with her there. It was probably the best night’s sleep he had in weeks.

Goodbyes were always hard for Leon. Maybe that was why he didn’t mind when Ada used to leave in the middle of the night. He would fall asleep with that exhaustion and contentment that follows great sex, and in the morning she would be gone. He didn’t have to worry about watching her walk away or wondering if he should try to stop her. It was a new day and the band-aid of being along again was ripped off. What was the point of sulking over it?

Everything had changed when he graduated from his training program last fall. The first time she came to the house, he was surprised to find her in the bed with him the next morning. He often imagined that it would be a dream come true to find her sleeping soundly next to him as the light peered through the window. It surprised him that, when faced with reality of the situation, he felt uneasy. It was as if the remaining time with her was a ticking clock. That at some point he would have to say goodbye and she’d be gone again. He almost wished that she hadn’t stayed.

They had shared a coffee on the back deck before he excused himself to shower. If they were going to spend the day together, then he should at least be presentable. When he asked her to join, she said to get started without him. It wasn’t until he was walking through the house drying his freshly washed hair that he realized she had left without him noticing. Another band-aid ripped off. That was when he realized she also hated goodbyes.

Now, a year later, Leon wondered if the time had come where they could not longer avoid it. After the previous night, he wouldn’t blame her for calling the whole thing off. They had both agreed on the terms of this arrangement and Leon knew what he was getting into, even if he didn’t like it.

Ada was still sleeping when he woke. He was careful not to rouse her as he snuck out of bed. He came to the bedroom later that morning to find her changing into her extra set of clothes. Leon was already dressed, wearing his athletic clothing and holding a cup of coffee.

“Good morning,” he said with a practiced smile.

Leon wasn’t sure how she’d react to him. He leaned against the doorway and gave her space, waiting to see how she’d greet him. 

“Morning.” She sounded distracted as she finished getting dressed. Once she was done, she looked up at him with a frown. “We need to talk about last night.”

This wasn’t going to go well, he thought. Leon clutched his coffee mug but kept his expression neutral. “Sure. What’s up?”

Ada sat on the edge of the bed. She paused as if waiting for him to join her. When he didn’t make a move, she started to speak. “You know where I stand. I’m not going to belabor it. But if you want this to continue, last night cannot happen again.”

It was hard to keep the look of surprise off his face. She was going to give him another chance? He almost asked her ‘why’ out of sheer curiosity, but he controlled the impulse.

“Look, I’ll be honest with you,” Leon cleared his throat. “I drank too much last night and I don’t even remember what we talked about. But it sounds like I was an asshole. I’m sorry and I won’t let it happen again.” He paused and looked her dead in the eye. “This whole thing is just supposed to be for fun, right?”

If the only way this was going to work was if he was unattached, then he might as well start now. She didn’t say anything at first. They stared at each other and he wondered if she was considering calling him out on his lie.

But she knew how to play the game. She was the one who taught him. “Right. Apology accepted.”

“Great. Well, I’m hungover and feel like shit. I am going to attempt to go for my morning run. There’s a fresh pot of coffee in the kitchen if you want some. We can have breakfast when I get back.”

She smiled in that pretty way she always did when she lied. “Sounds good.”

He left the house for half an hour. As he expected, she was gone when he returned.

Leon got the news a couple weeks later that Hernandez had been transferred from the intensive care lab in South America to a VA hospital in D.C. Benford had sent everyone on the task force an email letting them know the visitation details.

It took Leon a few days before he could muster the courage to see Hernandez. Not that Hernandez would notice. He had been in a coma since the attack. No one knew if or when he’d wake up. Barry Burton had brought it up at the office. “Make sure you talk while you’re there.” He had said, “sometimes it helps them find their way when they hear their loved ones.”

When Leon did visit, Hernandez looked as to be expected. He had the hospital room to himself. His only company was the sound of machines and a table full of gifts. Well, there were only a handful of gifts. One was a giant stuffed bear that took up most of the table’s surface.

“Look at these presents, Hernandez.” Leon found a safe spot to tuck the bottle of whiskey he brought. “Did we forget your birthday or something? You didn’t have to go to all this trouble. Next time, just remind us.”

He patted Hernandez on the leg before he took a seat next to the hospital bed. “Apparently you can still hear. Is that a blessing or a curse?”

Leon settled into the chair. He wasn’t sure what to say. There was so much he wanted to tell him. So much he wanted to apologize for. He bit his lip and tried to smile.

“I have an idea. How about we play a game? I’m going to guess who bought you the giant teddy bear. If I get it right, you wake up and we crack open that bottle of Wild Turkey I brought. Sound good? Alright.”

Leon cracked his knuckles and pointed at the table across the room. “Now, I heard your family is still making arrangements to come out here and see you, so it must be from one of the guys. The obvious choice would be Burton, because he’s such a softie. But, if you examine all the clues, you already know that's wrong.

“There’s a box of Obleas at the very back of the table, behind the bear. Tells me a couple things. One, based on its placement, whoever brought them was the first to come visit you. Second, he paid attention to that long-ass story you told us about how you and your brothers would steal them off the shelves in Mexico City and your mom would beat your ass with a wooden spoon. Obviously, Obleas are from Burton.

“Which leaves us with McGivern and Benford. Lesser minds would think, of the two options, has to be McGivern. Not the case, because you’ve also got a big box of cigars waiting for you. And I know that you two came up the ranks of DSO together and have that tradition of celebrating with a nice Robusto. Which means, against all odds, the oversized bear is from Mr. Adam Benford himself. How’d I do, did I get it right?”

He looked over at Hernandez. The only reply was the steady beep of the heart monitor. “You know what I think, Hernandez? I think I am right and you’re just a sore loser. I have half a mind to start drinking without you.” He laughed at himself. “I guess I’ll wait for you, though. I know you’ll wake up soon.”

The smile slipped off his face. Hernandez was one of the funniest guys he knew. It didn’t feel the same not getting to hear his sharp comebacks. Leon leaned forward and rested his hand on Hernandez’s arm.

“One hell of a mess we got ourselves into getting mixed in with all this BOW shit, huh? But you saved a lot of people back there. Backup was able to scrub the lab. Got samples, records, invoices. And that’s all because of you. You’re a good solider…. And a good man. I just wanted to come by and tell you that myself. We’re always going to be partners, okay? No matter what happens.”

The goodbyes always killed him, even if the guy on the receiving end of it was comatose. Leon sat there for a long time just to avoid it. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but a nurse stopped in and looked surprised to see him.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said. “I’m doing my rounds and wanted to check up on him.”

“No, don’t mind me. I was just heading out.” Leon gave Hernandez a final squeeze on the arm before standing. “Okay, Hernandez, be on your best behavior for the nice nurse. I’m going to come back and see you again really soon.”

Leon kept his composure as he left the room and walked down the hall. He told himself he wouldn’t crumble until he got back to his car. He kept his eyes forward and headed straight to the elevator.

“Must have been one hell of a bear.” A voice said behind him as he pressed the call button for the elevator.

“Excuse me?” He turned around to see a woman wearing scrubs. She had red hair pulled up out of her face and her face was speckled with freckles. He suspected they made her look younger than she actually was if she was old enough to be a medical professional.

“Your friend. I saw you coming out of room 1206. They said it was a bear attack. Never seen anything like it.”

Leon stared at her blankly. Was that the cover story they were going with? Oversized Peruvian bears?

Her hands came up to her mouth when he didn’t respond. “I’m sorry. Was that insensitive?”

“No, it’s fine, I guess,” he said as the elevator opened behind him. “Um, yeah, it was a big-ass bear. Took forever to bring it down.”

She followed him into the elevator. “Were you there? Oh god, I feel like such an asshole. I’m sorry.”

Leon pressed the button for the lobby. The woman didn’t make a move to select another floor. Stuck together all the way down, he thought. Better not blow the cover.

“I was there. We’ve been friends since grade school. After college, we started going on boys’ trips every year. Bear came out of nowhere during a hike.” He exhaled, feeling the guilt creep over him again. “I really wish I could have done more to help him.” 

“Hey, you can’t think like that.” She had been awkward and off-putting, but suddenly she sounded stern and confident. “I mean it. It will eat you up inside and drive you crazy. As someone who works with sick people all the time, take my word for it.”

He smiled despite himself. “Thanks, that almost makes up for your insensitive comment earlier.”

“I’m a surgeon. I only have to be good with my hands, not my mouth.” She seemed surprised by what she said, her face turning almost as red as her hair. “Not to say that I’m not good with my…. Anyway, if you need to drown your sorrows, we have some great ice cream in the cafeteria. It always makes me feel better.” She looked him up and down and then turned to face the front of the elevator. “But obviously you don’t eat ice cream. Look at you. You’re built like a tool shed.”

“A what?”

She winced and shook her head. “Nothing.”

Was she trying to flirt with him? This was probably one of the strangest conversations he had ever had, including the ones involving zombies. He almost felt bad for the poor woman.

“You know what, that sounds great. You said it’s in the cafeteria?”

“Yeah, it’s tucked back from the lobby.” She suddenly turned to face him with a look of determination. It was kind of cute. “It’s actually really hard to find. I can walk down with you if you’d like. I have some time before I have to get back to work.”

She was flirting with him. He was sure of it now.

“Is this what you do on your breaks? Accost visitors and try to fatten them up?

That made her laugh. It wasn’t a bad laugh. “I’ve had worse hobbies. I’m Wendy, by the way.”

The elevator door opened.

“I’m Leon. Let’s get some ice cream.”


	4. Chapter 4

**2002**

Someone was in the house.

The steps were distant and quiet. Leon may have slept through it if he wasn’t always on edge. But here he was, opening his eyes at the faintest sound. It was dark. What time was it?

Another noise. The floorboards in the foyer creaked. Whoever it was, they were on the first floor at the foot of the staircase.

“Fine,” he said in a low grumble, reaching for his gun on the nightstand. 

The firearm was loaded and cocked. Safety off.

Leon pulled himself out of bed. With calculated movements, he walked out of the room and down the stairs.

His aim landed on a figure standing in front of his entryway table. The moonlight peered through the glass planes of the front door, illuminating the slender silhouette draped in silk.

“Jesus Christ, Ada.” He flicked the gun’s safety on and lowered the weapon. “What are you doing? I could have shot you.”

She glanced over her shoulder, unperturbed. “Weren’t you expecting me?”

They had texted last week discussing a possible visit. It was the first time she had reached out to him since their argument last fall.

“Not in the middle of the night. I figured you’d show up tomorrow,” Leon said as he approached her.

He was eager to get his hands on her after being apart for so long. His fingers wrapped around her throat, feeling the strum of her steady pulse against his skin. With his thumb, he turned her jaw so that he could get a good look at her in the low light.

A stupid smile spread across his face. He wanted to tell her how beautiful she was. How much he had missed her. How he’d been going crazy the last few days in anticipation of seeing her again. Instead, he decided to keep his mouth shut and kiss her.

Ada gave in, pressing her body against his. It felt so good to be with her again. He needed more. Needed to feel all of her. Leon reached around to set his gun on the table behind her. The sudden sound of metal against wood seemed to startle her. She pulled away from him and turned back to the table.

“Had an early flight,” she said. 

He didn’t pay much attention to the shift in her demeanor. Standing behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist. “Early is an understatement. Why didn’t you come up to bed?”

“Got distracted.”

“I highly doubt there is anything down here more compelling than me.” He kissed her jaw, his hands hiking up the material of her dress. The silk gathered around her waist. “Or do I have to remind you how engaging I can be?”

Leon rested one hand on her hip. He pulled her close to him, her ass pressed against his erection. The thin fabric of his sleep pants acted as a barrier between them. He would have freed himself if his other hand wasn’t already diving into her lace panties.

She made a delicious sound when he worked her clit. Her head tilted back, granting his mouth access to the length of her exposed neck.

“On the contrary,” she said in between gasps, “I find your new décor very interesting.” 

Leon didn’t know what she was on about, but interior design should have been the last thing on her mind. He wanted her focused on him. Wanted her to come undone for him.

He slipped a finger inside her, satisfied with the way she moaned at the contact. She grabbed his wrist the way she always did when she wanted more. That’s better, he thought. Leon awarded her eagerness with another finger.

It was difficult to keep his voice even. “House looks the same as it always has. I thought you had to be perceptive in your line of work.”

“I do.” She shuttered as he fucked her with his hand.

Her wetness coated his fingers. His desire for her was painful. He tried to ease the tension by grinding against her, but it wasn’t enough. He needed her now. 

Leon let go of her hip and tugged down his sleep pants. She let out a little whine when his fingers left her. Bending her over the table, he looked down to watch as his cock aligned with her beautiful pussy.

He was about to enter her when Ada stopped him.

“What’s this, then?” she asked.

He looked up to see her reaching for something on the entryway table. It was hard to make out the detail in the darkness, but he knew what it was as soon as she picked it up.

Ada dragged a nail along the glass of the picture frame. Leon froze. It felt like someone had just punched him in the stomach. 

The photo was taken during a weekend getaway to Delaware. Leon was pictured sharing a ski lift with a woman. Her red hair poked out from under her knitted cap.

The woman in the photo had gifted him the framed picture on Valentine’s Day. Leon forgot she had put it on the table. To be honest, he had forgotten about her altogether. 

He swallowed. “That’s me and Wendy.”

“Pretty name for a pretty girl.” She set the photo back on the table. Her icy tone sent a chill down his spine. “Who is she?”

Fuck, he screamed in his head. He took a step back and put his dick away. “She’s a surgeon at the VA.”

“How noble.” Ada kept her back to him, straightening her dress. “Does she know about my visit?”

“It didn’t come up.” He prepared himself for the worst. “Does it matter?” 

She turned to face him, bracing herself against the table. “Are you asking me whether it matters that you lied to your girlfriend?”

“I lie to her all the time. Who I am. What I do. Hell, she thinks I went to college. I have to pretend I know what she’s talking about half the time.” He flashed a smile that slid off his face when he saw she wasn’t amused. “She’s a civilian. I can’t blow my cover. You know how it is.”

“How long has it been going on?” Ada asked.

Leon glanced up at the ceiling while he did the math. “Eight months? That sounds right.” He looked back at her, at a loss when she was still stone-faced. “What do you want me to say? You’re the one that suggested I date other women.”

Her exterior cracked. It was subtle, but he noticed. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the table behind her. “I didn’t say ‘date’. I said ‘fuck’.” 

“What’s the difference?”

Her eyes sparked with indignation. For a moment, Leon thought she might actually answer him. Maybe he’d know what was really going on in her head for once.

But the fire extinguished just as quickly as it lit. Her face hardened. He was shut out once again. 

“You want to play ‘house’ with some woman and sleep around behind her back? Be my guest. But leave me out of it.” Ada pushed back on the table and propelled herself toward the door. “And you can get rid of that phone I gave you while you’re at it.”

He was angry now. Frustrated that she criticized his choices. Irritated that she felt entitled to an opinion on his relationships after she was the one who rejected him last year. 

But, most of all, he was hurt that she would threaten to cut him off. 

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to face him. “So what if I have a girlfriend? Or if I cheat on her? It’s none of your business. I don’t know why you pretend like you even care about what I do in the first place. We both know you’ve never given a fuck about me.”

Leon felt a sudden, sharp pain along the side of his face. She had slapped him with her free hand.

His tongue traced the pain along his mouth, tasting blood. He let go of her and applied pressure to where she split his lip. 

When he looked up, he found raw emotion painted across her expression. Anger and sadness and hurt. Leon had never seen her like this. Ada was always so composed. He never imagined he could say something that would have this kind of effect on her.

In a blink, her anger was replaced with concern. “Shit.” She sounded as if she just realized what she had done. “I’m sorry. Let me see.”

He shouldn’t have stood for it. He should have told her to get the fuck out of his house. But there was a part of him that liked it. He got off on watching her let her guard down. His life had been so numb this past year without her. She was the only one who could make him feel something anymore. He had missed the sick rush. 

He didn’t argue when she moved his hand away from his mouth. Didn’t stop her from gently inspecting his face. While she touched his cheek, he pressed a kiss into her palm.

She stilled. Her eyes lifted to meet his.

“To be honest,” he said, “when I saw you texted me, I didn’t think about Wendy or what was right or wrong. I just knew that I had to see you. You can be angry with me. You can leave and stop contacting me altogether. But it doesn’t change anything. I will never get rid of that phone. And I will never stop checking it to see if you still want me.”

She didn’t say anything at first. She just looked at him, stroking his face. Her lips turned up in a small, sad smile. “You’re so fucking clueless.”

He started to ask what she meant by that but was interrupted when she covered his mouth with hers.

Ada kissed him with urgency. Her hand that had just been caressing his face slid to the back of his head. She grabbed a fistful of his hair, just the way he liked it. The sharp pain surged through him, making him groan. When his lips parted, her tongue found his.

She was the lead in a choreographed dance. She knew every inch of his body and how it would respond to her. In a few short moves, he had forgotten what they had even been talking about. It didn’t matter anymore. She had claimed him, making him irrevocably hers.

Leon pressed her back into the entryway table. He reached out to clear the tabletop. His arm swept everything to the ground. His gun. The picture frame. A bowl with his keys. The sound of glass shattering and metal clashing echoed throughout the foyer.

When he lifted her onto the table, her legs spread open. He didn’t waste any time accepting the invitation. His hand slid between her thighs, finding her lace panties in his way. Not willing to work around the material or take the time to pull them off her, he ripped the thin waistband and yanked the thong out from under her.

He moved to touch her with his hand, wanting to feel her desire for him on his fingers. But Ada was impatient. She grabbed his ass and pulled him closer. She guided him between her legs until the tip of his cock was pressed against her opening. His pants were the final obstacle between them, but Leon didn’t pull them down.

Because it wasn’t enough to just fuck her. He needed to possess her. Needed her to crumble under him.

He broke away from her kiss, his lips trailing down the length of her as he crouched down. He tucked his head under her dress, capturing her with his mouth.

She arched her back, leaning against the wall for support. Her fingers were in his hair. She was ready to steer him in the right direction, but he already knew where she wanted him. He knew how she liked her clit teased. His tongue circled the nub, just long enough for her to whine in frustration when she needed more. And he knew exactly what to give her. He rolled her clit between his lip and tongue while his fingers plunged into her.

The string of obscenities falling from her mouth was almost as delicious as her taste. She gripped his shoulder and held him in place as she rutted against his face. He picked up the speed, increasing the intensity as she got closer to climax.

He knew she was almost there when she started tugging at the collar of his shirt. He let himself be dragged back up to standing, not having time to wipe his face before her mouth crashed into his. She reached for his cock, urging him to fuck her through her orgasm. 

This was how he liked her best. Lost in ecstasy. Desperate for what he could give her.

She cried his name as he entered her. It was too much for him to handle. He couldn’t hold back any longer. He pounded into her, rough and fast. His fingers dug into anywhere he could get his hands on. Her hips. Her thighs. Her breasts. She would have bruises in the morning, but it didn’t stop her from asking for it harder. From telling him that she wanted all of him.

She was his dream come true. So much so that it terrified him. In that moment he would have done anything she asked if it meant he could keep her.

Her orgasm came first. She held onto him, her body writhing as she rode each wave of pleasure. The feeling of her collapsing all around him as she came was enough to make him finish. 

He stayed inside until he had filled her. It was one of his favorite parts, to look down at the mess they’d made once it was over.

When he pulled out, he felt her entire body tense against him.

Their argument had been temporarily suspended by sex, but nothing had changed. He should have known a quickie in the foyer wouldn’t erase her anger.

He adjusted his pants. Before she even made a move, he knew she wanted away from him.

“I should clean up,” she said.

“Sure.” He wasn’t going to fight with her. He took a step back and held out his hand to help her down. “There’s glass on the floor. Be careful.”

Ada didn’t accept his help. She pushed herself off the table and walked past him toward the bathroom.

With a sigh, Leon got to work. There was a rag in the kitchen to wipe himself off and a broom in the coat closet to sweep up the glass. As he cleaned the foyer floor, he knew what he had to do.

He had to leave Wendy.

It was a shame, in some ways. Wendy was beautiful and kind and self-sufficient and smart. She had comforted him when Hernandez’s family decided to pull his life support. Leon could always rely on her to give him a much-needed distraction after a bad assignment. She was someone he could talk to in the middle of the night instead of drinking himself into oblivion.

But that’s all she was to him: the things she could do for him. He didn’t care about her or weekend trips or her family. He had gone along with her expectations of a relationship because it’s what she needed from him in order to stick around. He had even constructed a new persona that fit the fantasy they had created. She didn’t know anything about him. Couldn’t know anything about him. Nothing between them had ever been authentic.

It had been fine. Hell, sometimes it had even been nice. But, most of all, it had been convenient. 

Nothing with Ada was ever convenient. She was hot and cold. He never knew when he’d see or hear from her. He couldn’t even begin to imagine the consequences if anyone found out about them. 

But, with Ada, he didn’t have to hide the ugly parts of him that he carried like scars. He didn’t have to pretend that he lived the kind of ordinary life that civilians took for granted. And, despite the crushing lows that she could put him through, he never felt as alive as when they were on a high.

Leon had never met anyone that could compare to Ada.

“Do you want some?” Her voice filled the room.

It startled him. He turned around to see her holding a bottle of whiskey. He hadn’t heard her leave the bathroom or get anything off the bar cart in the den.

Of course, she knew how to get by undetected if she wanted. He wondered if it had been her plan all along to pull him out of bed and make him explain the photo.

“I’m going to end it with Wendy,” he said.

She didn’t look impressed. Her response was to take a swig of whiskey straight from the bottle. She made a face after she swallowed the alcohol.

“I’m serious. And I’m not just saying it because it’s what you want to hear.”

She frowned. “Then why are you saying it?”

“Because I wouldn’t have invited you over if I liked her even half as much as I pretend to. I’ve been selfish and leading her on. Honestly, now that I’m thinking about it, I feel really terrible that I’ve been wasting her time like this.”

Ada rolled her eyes. “She’ll get over it. I’m sure she’s been more than happy to fuck you for the last eight months.”

She’s jealous. Leon tried to keep a straight face. He didn’t know Ada could get jealous. 

“Anyway,” he said, “I’ll take care of it. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I wasn’t trying to deceive you or anything like that. I just…. I don’t know. I guess I got lonely. It was nice having someone around.”

He had hoped that all would be forgiven, but Ada still looked uncomfortable. She fidgeted with the bottle in her hands.

“I don’t want you to be lonely or unhappy,” she said. “It was really sweet what you said earlier about keeping the phone. But, if you do end up meeting someone that you want to be with, you really should stop contacting me. I don’t want you to fuck up a good thing by sneaking around with me.”

Leon didn’t think it was possible to meet someone like that. But he did agree that her terms made sense.

“That’s fair.” He cracked a smile. “I promise to drop you the second someone better comes along.”

That made her laugh. “Probably would be for the best.”

It felt like the tension had finally dissipated. He opened his arms, inviting her in. “We okay?”

She set the whiskey on the entryway table before accepting his embrace. “Yes. Everything’s fine.” 

He held her around the waist and planted a quick kiss on her lips. “Good, because I’m exhausted. What kind of flights are you booking that you’re showing up this late?”

Her arms rested on his shoulders. “Whatever gets me here as soon as possible.”

Leon’s cock twitched. He wanted her all over again. “See, I was hoping to get some sleep, but then you say shit like that.”

At first, Ada laughed when he squeezed her and buried his face in her neck. Then, her sounds of amusement turned to arousal as he nipped at her skin. “If you’re so tired, why don’t we go to bed?”

“Oh, we’re going to bed.” His hands travelled to her ass, grabbing and lifting her off the ground. Her legs wrapped around him as she pulled him in for a deep kiss. He couldn’t get her upstairs fast enough.

It was daylight when they eventually fell asleep. Leon felt groggy when he woke later and checked the time. Past noon.

He took a moment to watch Ada soundly sleeping next to him. It was hard to imagine that she used to sneak out of their hotel rooms before he'd wake up. Ever since she started staying at the house, she always slept in.

She must be tired, he thought. It dawned on him that he didn’t even know what she had been up to since the last time they saw each other. Their conversations the previous night had been focused on Wendy.

Fuck. He had almost forgotten about Wendy again. Might as well get it over with, he thought as he dragged himself out of bed.

In the end, Leon decided to send Wendy an email. He didn’t think it necessary to have a dialogue. He had never been good with conflict where there were emotions involved. And there was no reason to discuss things if he had no intention of changing his mind. That’s what he told himself, at least, to justify the pitiful message he typed up.

I hate shit like this, he thought as he pressed send. He decided to unwind on the back deck by drinking a cup of coffee mixed with brandy.

“I thought I’d find you out here,” Ada said when she joined him some time later. She wore one of his robes. It hung off her and swayed in the cool, spring breeze. “Something on your mind?”

“It’s done. With Wendy.”

Her brows drew together in confusion. “How?”

He shrugged. “I emailed her a little bit ago.”

“Oof.” Ada laughed as she took a seat in the deck chair next to him. “I didn’t realize you were so bad at relationships.”

He smiled despite himself. “Guess you dodged a bullet, huh?”

She picked up his coffee mug from the small patio table between them. After a sip, she started coughing. “Since when did you start spiking your coffee?”

“Can we fight about one thing at a time, please?” He leaned over to take the mug out of her hands.

Her smile dropped when she got a good look at him. “Your lip is bruised.”

“You got me pretty good.” He playfully tugged at the belt on her robe. “But I left some marks of my own last night.” 

“It’s not the same.” She diverted her eyes, fiddling with the mug before handing it to him. “I never should have hit you.” 

“Ada, it’s fine.”

“No, it isn’t.” Her sincerity tore through him. “And I promise it’s not going to happen again.”

“I believe you, okay? Don’t worry about it.” Leon settled back into his chair and drank his coffee. A silence hung between them while he looked out at the woods. “Did I ever tell you about the night before we met?”

“You didn’t.”

“I was moving out of my parents’ house to take that job in Raccoon City. I packed up pretty much everything I owned and shoved it in my little car. There was this girl I had been dating since high school. We had said that maybe she’d try to move out there with me at some point. But, that morning, she broke up with me. It was 7 am. In my parents’ driveway.

“And as I drove away, I remember thinking ‘this is the worst thing that is ever going to happen to me’. Which is hilarious, because I really had no clue what was coming my way. Anyway, that night, I stopped at the cheapest motel I could find and I spent all the cash in my wallet on booze. Drank until I passed out. Slept all day. Woke up and was already late for my afternoon shift at the station. I still had hours to drive. I got in my car, hungover, and just prayed that I didn’t get fired on my first day.

“I felt like the biggest fuck-up in the world. Because I was so excited to be a cop. I was convinced that my life was finally about to start. Was going to have a career. My own place. Maybe get a dog…. I can’t believe that was four years ago. I still think about what my life would have been like if Umbrella never existed. Maybe that’s why I liked Wendy. When I was around her, I could act like I was normal. But now I realize it was never going to be more than playing pretend. And faking it is somehow worse than not having it at all.”

It felt so good to say it out loud. He had convinced himself that there was no one he could talk to about this. Sure, there were other survivors. The people he worked with. Claire. But it never felt right to burden them with his trauma when they all had plenty of their own. 

“For what it’s worth,” Ada said, “I think you would have made a good cop.”

He smiled. “Well, I’ve never seen you dance, but I know you don’t give up until you get what you want. So, I think you would have made an excellent prima ballerina.”

“Who told you about that?” She sounded surprised, maybe even worried.

“You!” He laughed. “Back in that shitty motel in Nebraska.”

“I thought I never told anybody that.” She chuckled, her tongue in her cheek. “Sometimes I forget that I used to have a ‘regular’ life. It feels like I dreamed it. Like there’s no way I could have ever been that blissfully ignorant.”

“I feel the same way.” He paused, staring into his mug. “You think there’s any way for us to be normal again? To forget about all this and find someone to settle down with?”

“No.” Her answer came without any hesitation. “But I hope you prove me wrong, so that you can be happy.”

“I think I’m starting to accept that I’m happy enough with what I got.” He looked over at her, studying the way her face changed as she sat in thought. “What about you?”

“I’m the closest to ‘happy’ that I’ll probably ever be,” Ada said. “And I can’t change it. So, it has to be enough.”

He passed her the mug and watched her take a long drink. “That’s why I spike my coffee.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this was a couple days late! There was a lot going on in the chapter and I wanted to do my best to get it right. Ada is guarded and there is a lot of subtlety to her character. There were a few lines I really wanted her to say, but they felt too personal and I ended up going with context clues / body language instead. These two and their lack of communication, I swear hahaha.
> 
> Let me know your thoughts! I will be honest, I was a bit nervous about the infidelity piece since it doesn’t paint Leon in a great light. And Ada doesn’t always approach things in the healthiest way, either. But this has been in my plot outline since the beginning, and I think it’s good to allow character flaws. Especially if you can use it as an opportunity for them to learn and grow. 
> 
> Next chapter is in two weeks! Chapter 5 brings us right up to pre-RE4. I can’t wait for you to read it.


End file.
